Huberman suspends union campaign events at CPS buildings

March 16, 2010

Schools chief Ron Huberman announced last Friday that he is suspending all union campaign events from being held at school buildings, reversing a common practice during the contentious election season.

In the March 12th memo obtained by the Tribune, Huberman laid out in detail the district's policy, which will now also prohibit the distribution or the posting of any campaign material at school or school-sponsored functions. Though a similar memo was circulated earlier this school year, Friday's memo comes just two months before a highly contentious teachers union election.

"I am taking this position to avoid the appearance that any CPS administrator endorses a candidate, to ensure that administrators do not have to waste time monitoring the distribution and review of campaign materials on work time, and to avoid the disruption that can plague highly contested union elections," the memo says.

While campaing activity was never allowed during school hours, historically candidates were allowed to hold events on grounds before and after school. The same is true of campaign materials being posted or placed in teachers' mailboxes at schools.

The move could particularly impact challengers in the race, to be held May 21st, who say they are less well known and are therefore under greater pressure to meet voters. Without the ability to meet the teachers at school, it could complicate their campaigning, they say.

"Incumbents already have all the advantages," said Karen Lewis, co-chair of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators and a candidate for union president. "They have the union newsletter, which is a campaign tool."

The Chicago Teachers Union also took issue with the new edict.

"The union has a long history of conducting these elections and we have sent our own clarification to principals about this topic back in January," said Marilyn Stewart, president of the union. "Part of that history includes the right of our members to meet with union election candidates in non-work areas at non-work times and we will vigorously defend that practice."